Hotel of Terror owner submits 2,100 signatures in effort to halt eminent domain

Hotel of Terror owner Sterling Mathis submitted petitions Thursday afternoon with what he said was "enough" signatures to halt the city's initiation of eminent domain on his property and put the fate of his haunted attraction before Springfield's voters.

Springfield City Council passed a bill last month beginning the eminent domain process for the city to buy the horror attraction. The city hopes to demolish the building, which they claim is in the way of the city's effort to daylight Jordan Creek in downtown Springfield. The city has been negotiating to buy the property from Mathis since 2019 but the parties have been unable to come to a deal.

If Mathis submitted enough valid signatures of registered Springfield voters, the city will be forced to either reverse its decision or place the bill initiating the eminent domain process before a vote of Springfield residents. To get on the ballot, such a referendum would need signatures equal to or greater than 10% of the number of voters in the last general municipal election — collected within a month of the council vote.

Speaking to the News-Leader, Mathis said "everybody was really excited" to sign the petitions and he had to turn many away because they were not registered voters in Springfield. He continues to negotiate with the city as he pursues a referendum.

"We're still negotiating, and the city called me after this got started. We talked once and there may be a path forward without a referendum, but we'll see what happens. But I feel very good about all the support we're getting."

Mathis submitted what he said was approximately 2,100 signatures to City Clerk Anita Cotter on Thursday. Though Cotter said she needed to confirm with the county the exact number of valid signatures needed, Mathis said he believes approximately 1,600 are required.

More:Hotel of Terror on the ballot? Owner collecting signatures to halt city eminent domain

If Cotter finds enough valid signatures were collected, the issue will come back before City Council — where the body will have the opportunity to repeal the bill or place a referendum on the ballot.

Cotter has up to twenty days to authenticate the signatures. If the number of valid signatures falls short, Mathis will have an additional ten days to collect more signatures. The city clerk noted the authentication of the petitions will be a "priority" for her office in coming weeks.

City Council's February vote to initiate the eminent domain process was unanimous. If the bill were to stand, the city would not immediately seize the Hotel of Terror but begins a legal process by which a third party will determine a fair market value for the property. Once that is adjudicated, Mathis will be paid and the city will take ownership of the property.

In a statement to the News-Leader, the city confirmed the referendum process and defended the decision to begin the eminent domain process.

More:Hotel of Terror condemned? City begins process to take property through eminent domain

"The condemnation process was not entered into lightly. It is only being considered after years of trying to negotiate agreement on a fair market value offer for property acquisition needed to be able to move forward to replace the failing Main Street bridge," the statement said. "Throughout the negotiation process, the City has sought multiple third-party appraisals on the property to help determine 'just compensation' for the building since the property owner continues to decline offers. The city has also hired a consultant that specializes in providing (relocation) assistance and the city will provide reimbursement costs for relocating his personal property to reestablish his business in a new, comparable building."

The eminent domain process can be quite lengthy, and the property owner has the right to a jury trial to determine a fair market price. That is a right Mathis said he plans to invoke, if his efforts at a referendum fail.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Hotel of Terror owner submits 2,100 signatures to halt eminent domain